Hi all! Now that we've mastered taking and editing photos, its time to share them! For this Thing I initially decided to try out both photo sharing apps-Instagram and Snapchat. However, once I created a Snapchat and logged in, it seemed like very few of my contacts actually use Snapchat, so I didn't really have anyone to chat with. I will say, though, that the account creating and log in was very easy, and it seemed the the photo taking and sharing screen was also user-friendly and easy to figure out. I would try Snapchat in the future if more of my friends and contacts started using it.
I did, however, have good luck with Instagram! I logged in using my Facebook account, and that instantly showed me a list of Facebook friends who had Instagram whom I could follow (and who may follow me). I got logged in, followed some set-up steps of finding Facebook friends to follow, and was ready to go in a matter of minutes. I was pleased with the app's photo editing options (mainly filters, though there are a few more options). Even though I just downloaded all those fancy new cameras and editing apps for our last Thing, I found myself just using the default Instagram options just as frequently, and being pretty much just as pleased with the results.
Overall Instagram was very intuitive and easy to get started posting photos, liking other people's photos, and following people. I have a mix of friends and friend/professional acquaintances amongst my followers, and we all seem to share both work and non-work related photos. Right of the bat I can see Instagram being great for sharing ideas at conferences, from programs at libraries, of storytimes or crafts, and much more with librarian followers. From that standpoint, this app makes more sense to me for professional use-Snapchats disappear after so much time has elapsed (unless you snap a screen shot)-Instagram, however, seems more permanent, especially since hashtags are often used and can be searched. Granted, I didn't get to Snapchat, so perhaps I'm missing something there...
In any case, if I were ever to use Instagram heavily for work I would probably consider creating a second account, much like I would do for Pinterest. I'm sure my friends don't mind some library related pics, and my librarian friends don't mind some dog/cat/running shoe/food pics, but too much of one or the other may be a turn off. So, a possible separation of sorts may come into play at some point, but for now I'm just having fun snapping and sharing pictures with my followers!
Stayed tuned-next time we are shifting gears and moving on to Library and Reference related Things!
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Thing 9- Taking & Editing Photos!
This is a Thing I have really been looking forward to! I have an iPhone, and they have pretty good cameras, considering its a cell phones, but I've been told that to really make the most of your photos you need to make use of apps. Despite this, I haven't really tried any, so this Thing gives me the perfect excuse to download and play away! I'm not currently in a position where I would use my photos for any sort of marketing for my libraries, but you never know when that may change. I initially decided to download and try three apps for this one-CamMe, Color Splurge, and LINE Camera. CamMe is available for Apple only while the other two are available for Apple and Android.
I tried LINE Camera first, but wasn't impressed. It looked like an app geared for children, and I'm not huge into the idea of adding bright text and frames to my pictures. So, I instead asked a budding photographer friend which camera app she uses on her iPhone, and she recommended Camera Awesome (available for Apple and Android). I downloaded that one and preferred it. It feels more grown up, and although there is no in-app tutorial upon start-up (as there so often is these days), it was easy to figure out. It offers filters, preset image-improving options, textures, cropping, and its "Awesomize" feature, which automatically adjusts images for you and takes the guess work out of adjusting all the levels individually. For me, it was just easier to figure out and use than LINE Camera.
Color Splurge, though not an app I'll use terribly frequently, was fun and easy to use and one that I'll definitely keep around. It allows you to make a photo gray-scale and then go back and colorize just the bits you want to pop! The app includes a getting started video, which surprising seemed to have no audio, but gets the job done regardless. I was able to watch the video, select, edit, and post my first photo to Instagram (from right within the Color Splurge app) in less than ten minutes. For the record, it was a shot of my friend and I running the Get Lucky 7k-wearing neon tutus! It turned out pretty neat! I'd always wondered how people did this in Photoshop, so I'm happy to have an app that replicates the effect easily! The other main feature is a re-coloring option (change reds to blues, for instant), but it looked too off and fake to me, I'll stick with the main feature of the app.
I also got CamMe, because who doesn't love a good selfie!? This app also begins with a quick video how-to that shows a young lady taking pictures of herself in the dressing room while trying on dresses. After the video shows you how the app works, you're off and running taking selfies! Its incredibly easy to use, and this app would be especially useful for taking group shots-simply wave rather than trying to figure out who has the longest arms/best angle to try to fit everyone into the frame (think Ellen at the Oscars...). The main problem I had was finding a stable surface that was at the appropriate height and getting my phone to stand on its own/finding things to prop it up with (although I do believe they make cases that work as stands as well).
Overall, a very fun Thing to play with! And-keep your eyes peeled for my post on the next Thing (number 10!), which will be following this post in the next day or two. Now that I've got all these great photos, its time to share them!
I tried LINE Camera first, but wasn't impressed. It looked like an app geared for children, and I'm not huge into the idea of adding bright text and frames to my pictures. So, I instead asked a budding photographer friend which camera app she uses on her iPhone, and she recommended Camera Awesome (available for Apple and Android). I downloaded that one and preferred it. It feels more grown up, and although there is no in-app tutorial upon start-up (as there so often is these days), it was easy to figure out. It offers filters, preset image-improving options, textures, cropping, and its "Awesomize" feature, which automatically adjusts images for you and takes the guess work out of adjusting all the levels individually. For me, it was just easier to figure out and use than LINE Camera.
Color Splurge, though not an app I'll use terribly frequently, was fun and easy to use and one that I'll definitely keep around. It allows you to make a photo gray-scale and then go back and colorize just the bits you want to pop! The app includes a getting started video, which surprising seemed to have no audio, but gets the job done regardless. I was able to watch the video, select, edit, and post my first photo to Instagram (from right within the Color Splurge app) in less than ten minutes. For the record, it was a shot of my friend and I running the Get Lucky 7k-wearing neon tutus! It turned out pretty neat! I'd always wondered how people did this in Photoshop, so I'm happy to have an app that replicates the effect easily! The other main feature is a re-coloring option (change reds to blues, for instant), but it looked too off and fake to me, I'll stick with the main feature of the app.
I also got CamMe, because who doesn't love a good selfie!? This app also begins with a quick video how-to that shows a young lady taking pictures of herself in the dressing room while trying on dresses. After the video shows you how the app works, you're off and running taking selfies! Its incredibly easy to use, and this app would be especially useful for taking group shots-simply wave rather than trying to figure out who has the longest arms/best angle to try to fit everyone into the frame (think Ellen at the Oscars...). The main problem I had was finding a stable surface that was at the appropriate height and getting my phone to stand on its own/finding things to prop it up with (although I do believe they make cases that work as stands as well).
Overall, a very fun Thing to play with! And-keep your eyes peeled for my post on the next Thing (number 10!), which will be following this post in the next day or two. Now that I've got all these great photos, its time to share them!
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